GAC MOTOR is a large yet fast-moving Chinese automobile company whose eyes are set firmly on the future. A new slogan “GO AND CHANGE!” released in April 2021, heralds a new strategic direction for the company with a greater focus on technology and the concept of “Chinese craftsmanship” woven into its core.
Today, Chinese craftsmanship means combining China’s proven supply chain and manufacturing strengths with new capacities for developing world-class technology and conducting highly advanced research. For GAC MOTOR in 2021, Chinese craftsmanship represents years of unrelenting hard work, a commitment to excellence and a passion for competing at the highest level in the global automobile industry.
Driven By Quality
GAC MOTOR’s aim is to create lasting value for buyers, producing quality vehicles that are both highly enjoyable to drive and that will stand the test of time and use.
Quality is seen in every inch of GAC MOTOR’s car designs. GAC MOTOR works from the bottom up to create the best vehicles possible. Thousands of specialized workers spread across GAC R & D Centers lead that effort. They are committed to constantly improving vehicle designs at custom built GAC R&D Centers in Los Angeles, Detroit, Guangzhou and Shanghai.
The selection of premium materials also makes those designs as enjoyable as possible. These include industry-leading Harmon-Kardon sound systems, deluxe seating materials and powerful dust filtering air conditioners. Quality is at the heart of the new generation of Chinese automobiles.
Durable designs and reliable materials make GAC MOTOR vehicles resistant to wear and tear. This is further assured by over 4 million kilometers of enhanced durability testing for each new model.
Tech and Innovation
Technological innovation is perhaps what stands out most in the new GAC MOTOR values system and what will enablethe company to compete internationally in its new phase of global expansion. This is one of the concepts behind the slogan, “GO AND CHANGE!”
Billions of yuan have been funneled into a network of GAC R&D Centers across the globe. In Detroit, researchers utilize rich nearby testing facilities and supply chains. In Silicon Valley in Los Angeles, research focuses on big data, AI, autonomous driving and new energy vehicle technology. In Los Angeles city, researchers work on cutting-edge design, human-machine interaction and the localization of cars for specific markets. And in Shanghai and Guangzhou, which cooperate closely, research focuses on conglomeration, digitization technologies and overall design.
Over the years, GAC R&D centers have yielded highly encouraging results, the most recent of which were shared at the Auto Shanghai 2021. These include in-house technologies such as “sponge silicon” material, which drastically reduced the weight of lithium batteries in GAC MOTOR vehicles and reduced electric car recharge times to as little as 20 minutes or less. This is only the beginning. GAC projects further advances that will reduce battery weight by up to 50% and further improve charging speeds.
The GAC Group has made a strong push towards greener energy and electrification. According to plans laid out by company executives, new energy vehicles will make up 20% of total group sales volume by 2025, and hybrid vehicles an additional 20%. By 2035, GAC aims to realize comprehensive electrification. Of a projected 5 million vehicle units, the company has set a target to sell 50% energy-saving vehicles and 50% completely new-energy vehicles. Less glamorous but just as crucial are mechanical advances in chassis “DNA” technology, and highly efficient “mega wave power” engine technology. They guarantee significant power while maintaining a high level of thermal efficiency.
In addition to green technologies, GAC customer research has demonstrated a strong preference among modern buyers for intelligent, effort-saving features. As a result, new models boast the ADiGO (intelligent and interconnected driving) in-car system. This incorporates a highly capable autopilot mode, inching ever closer to driverless travel, and extensive IoT capacities developed in Guangzhou. Other consumer-side tech developments that make GAC MOTOR so popular with younger consumers are the features that focus on convenience and comfort. These include small but important details, such as wireless device charging, panoramic windows, touchscreens that can be controlled via swiping just like a smartphone, 360-degree parking cameras, and seating position buttons that have a memory.
It is these quality-assured details and well-researched designs that optimize user experience. Combined with greater fuel efficiency and an emphasis on sleek, attractive designs, they make GAC MOTOR popular with young consumers, putting the company on a confident trajectory for the future.
A Connection of Trust
Another facet revealed in the new brand value system is the company’s movement towards stronger connection with global distributors, buyers and employees. As the company expands in size, it is crucial to maintain the quality of products and services across the board, which can only be done with emphasis on these connections.
On the ground, this connection means strengthening localized operations and centralized cooperation. GAC has established close, trusted links with suppliers across the globe, from South America to Africa, and works hard to synchronize with local market needs. This year, three new on-the-ground teams were dispatched to overseas offices in Hong Kong, Russia and the Middle East to work closely on training and grassroots development. The company’s strategy going forward will focus heavily on innovating and creating value together with terminal point staff. Great results from this focus on distributor relationships have already been seen in the Chilean market, where seven new showrooms were opened this year, as well as in Saudi Arabia, GAC MOTOR’s best performing foreign market, which recently reached the milestone of 10,000 units sold.
A closer connection with consumers comes from various directions. First and foremost is GAC MOTOR’s longstanding reliance on extensive customer research, which ensures that a connection of trust can be built on the quality and suitability of products to customers. Regional vehicle models are customized to local needs and specifically marketed, such as the flagship seven-seater GS8, which earned praise for its powerful AC system, large carrying capacity (suitable for business and family transportation) and easy handling on desert roads. Another example can be found in Dubai, where sportier SUV models like the first and second generation GS4 are marketed for their urban and off-road versatility, and sleek, fashionable design that appeals aesthetically to the urban center’s young professionals.
In addition to this product-based trust, GAC MOTOR also builds a psychological and emotional connection with its consumers by encouraging them to be proactive and drive forward with change in their own lives. The slogan “GO AND CHANGE!” encapsulates a commitment to improvement through innovation, action rather than hesitation, and jumping headlong into the opportunities and technologies of the future.
One of the most active sites for forging this emotional connectionhas been social media. Interactive online campaigns such as the “What is GAC?” creative competition, which drew over 1,000 entries from across the world, drive highly personal engagement that celebrates individuals’ stories with GAC. By encouraging customers to provide a clever answer to what they believe GAC stands for, customers became an active part of the GAC story. It is this type of positive, appreciative and grassroots-level connection that steadily and organically cements brand power.
Let’s Go!
GAC MOTOR maintains a spirit ofchasing down one’s dreams. Rather than standing by and waiting for the future to happen, GAC and its customers take action to shape the future. Even in the face of all the challenges of COVID-19, GAC MOTOR has continued to grow, achieving 18% year-on-year growth in exports during 2020—an indication of the immense potential that remains to be tapped.
GAC MOTOR is excited to enter a new era, full of new challenges and possibilities. Working with these brand goals in mind and remaining faithful to the spirit of Chinese craftsmanship in every model, the company looks forward to the successes of 2021 and the many years thereafter. Let’s go!
（Source: https://sponsored.bloomberg.com/article/gac-motor/shaping-the-future-of-transport-through-chinese-craftsmanship）
